Locking mechanism for loose-leaf binders.



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J. SGHAUB. LOOKING MECHANISM FOR. LOOSE LEAP BINDERS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28. 1913.

1,105,161. Patented July 28,1914;

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$115116 mguu y; Z a g arren srA'r s PATENT OFFICE.

JAooBscHaUB, or oGAN, UTAH, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO E; GAXTON PRINTERS, LIMIT-ED, or CALDWELL, IDAHO, A oonronArroNor IDAHO. f

LOCKING MECHANTSM Eon LOOSE- B' E Application filed April 2a, 1913. iseriaiNo. 763,951. a

This invention'is a lock, the same being more particularly intended for use upon one of the permanent covers of a loose leaf binder for the purpose of retaining in a fixed position the slidable member which fastens a series ofposts to said'permanent cover.

Although the lockis adapted, by reason of its compact construction, for use on the binder-cover, it isevidentthat said lock may also be used to good'advantage in other relations than the particular one specified.

In a prior Patent No. 921,467 granted May 11, 1909 upon an application filed jointly by myself andJ. N. Larsen, there is disclosed a lock for loose leaf binders where in the mechanismrequired-that a certain key shall remain in position within the look when the Slide was withdrawn in order to release the parts prior to removal of certain pages from, or the insertion of fresh'pages into, the binder. The lock of the present in vention' is designed to operate under similar conditions, but in another embodiment of the invention, the key may be withdrawn when the device is either locked or unlocked.

The objects of the invention are, first, to attain compactness in construction with a view to enabling the lock to take up the least possible space on the binder cover; second, to employ parts of such form that some of them can be easily stamped or pressed out of sheet metal, whereas other parts are cast metal, thus contributing'to economy in manufacture; third, to attain security and efliciency in the operation of.

the mechanism, and finally to simplify the construction.

It should be stated that the lock is 1ntended to be attached to or form apart of one off two binder-plates, the latter being Secured to the permanent covers of the loose leaf binder. This binder-plate is provided with notches which receive theapertured end portions of filing posts or pins, and 'on the binder-plate is slidably mounted a postlocking member, the latter being provided Specification of Letters Patent. i

with pintles which enterjthe apertures of the filing posts. IVVith-the post-lockingslide' cooperates the lock,- the latter operating to preclude 'movement'of the lide whenits pintles are engaged with the posts, "but when released by the lock, this slide'canibe manually shifted for withdrawing the" pint-les from the filing posts, whereby said postscan be moved topositions where certain asdesired.

The lock embodies a casing provided with a transverse guideway, a transverse key seat, and ,a plurality of longitudinal channels, combined'with "a post-lockingmember" positioned for, movement in the transverse guideway and a plurality of key-operated tumblers 1I1 CEISQd within the longitudinal channels and cooperatingwith' the postl atented July 28,1914.}

pages can be removed or fresh pages added a locking member, said tumblers being actu-"f atedindividually by springs so as to lock' the post-actuated member except ,when the pumblers are repressed by an appropriate rey; i

tumbler struck orpressed up from? sheet metal and comprising a fiat member pro vided at oneend with ears" andat its other end with a continuous flange operating as a housing for the spring, the latter acting to impel the tumblernormally to a position wherein'the ears will be outofregister with wardsof the casing and with wards on the post-locking slide,thus preventing said slide frominoving in the transverse guideway until the'key acts to repressthe' tumblers for the earsthereof to register with the wards of the casing,-whereupon the slide can be shifted for its pintles to be withdrawn from the filing postss Fig. 2 isan' enlargedplanview of the lock A novel feature is the constructionof the tions the key being inserted in the lock. i

withn'the binder-plate removed, the key becross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, showing the lock applied to the binder-plate. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the slidable tumblers. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the spring retainer.

Fig. 8 is a plan view illustrating another form of the notched slidable member.

A designates a binder-plate adapted to be secured in any suitable way to one of the permanent covers of a loose leaf binder, such as the binder disclosed in the prior patent to which reference has been made. The binder-plate consists of a single thickness of sheet metal of the desired length and width. Said plate is provided with a turned over flange a on one of the longitudinal edges thereof, and in addition to this flange said plate is shown as having a series of transverse notches (4 the latter being formed in the turned over flanged edge of the plate.

B designates a slidablemember, herein shown as a flat plate positioned in contact with one face of binder-plate A. The slidable plate is provided atone of its side edges with a series of lugs b which extend into the guide-way formed by the flanged edge a of the binder-plate. The plate B is slidable lengthwise with respect to binder-plate A, and said slidable plate is provided with a series of pintles a, the latter being secured in any suitable way to the lugs b of said slidable plate. Obviously, the pintles are attached rigidly to the slidable plate for movement therewith, and in one position of the slidable plate the pintles a thereon extend across the notches a whereas in the retractedv posit-ion of the slidable plate the pintles a are withdrawn from the notches, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Theslidable plate is operable by hand and for this purpose said slidable plate is provided with a finger-piece b the latter being slidable in a slot of which extends lengthwise of binderplate A for a suitable distance. The finger piece .72 is fastened rigidly to a slotted part of the slidable plate, and this finger-piece is guided within, and accessible through, said slot of of stationary plate A.

The filing posts disclosed in the patent to which reference has been made are provided with apertures in the end portions thereof, and with the pintles and sliding plate in the retracted positions shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, said apertured end portions of the filing posts are adapted to be inserted into notches a of the binder-plate, after which theslide B ispushed toward the right by applying pressure to finger-piece 6 as a result of which the pintles a are thrust through apertures in the, filing posts, thereby locking said filing posts in. rigid relation to the binder plate. The slide can be pushed in a reverse direction in order to withdraw the pintles a from the filing posts when it is desired to remove any of the pages or leaves from said posts, or to add fresh pages or leaves to the binder, as will be readily understood.

The operating .parts of the lock are housed or contained within a casing C, the latter being preferably composed of cast metal. The casing is open at one side thereof, and this open side of the casing is applied to the binder-plate A, as shown in Figs, 3 and 5, whereby the binder-plate operates to close the open side of the casing. The casing is adapted to be secured fixedly in. posit-ion on the binder-plate by suitable means, such as rivets c. The casing is provided with a series of longitudinal channels 6, which chan nels are separated from each other by longitudinal webs or ribs which arev parallel to each other and extend from one portion of the casing to a key-seat .orslot provided in the other end portion of the casing. The longitudinal webs or ribs and the side walls of the casing are recessed or cut away as at 0, said recessed portion 0 constituting a transverse guide'way at one end portion of the casing for the reception of the offset part D of the slide B. The recesses c are provided in the casing so as to result in lugs o forming the wards of the lock casing, said wards 0 being in alinement transversely of the lock casing. The slide B is provided intermediate its ends with an offset D, shown more clearly in Figs. a and 8, and by dotted lines in Fig. 1. This offset is provided with a longitudinal slot (Z and with two series of notches d (Z the notches d of one series being positioned at one side of the longitudinal slot, whereas the notches (Z of the other series are at the opposite side of the slot,

the notches of'the two series opening into the slot. The slide is assembled in such relation to casing C that the offset D works in the recesses 0', the wards c fitting in the longitudinal slot (Z, whereby the offset part D of the slide is free to move in the recessed guideway of the casing, the wards c of said casing working in the longitudinal slot (Z 1 of said offset. One of the rivets 0 by which the lock casing is attached to thebinderplate works in the slot (13 of said offset in the slide.

The lock embodies a plurality of slidable tumblers, four being shown in the drawings, although the number of tumblers is not material. Said tumblers occupy the longitudinal channels 6 of casing O, and said tumblers cooperate with the notched offset of slide B and with the key I, the latter being insertible, into the transverse key receiving seat or key holefof the casing and the binder-plate. 1 j

The tumblers F are preferably composed of sheet metal stamped or pressed to the required form, one of said tumblers being shown in detail in Fig. 6. Each tumbler consists of a longitudinal member, a pair of lug f, and a substantially continuous flange f. The longitudinal member, lugs f, and flange, f are in one piece, and the tumbler is channeled or chambered so as to form a casing for an actuating spring E. The lugs f at one end of the tumbler extend upwardly from the respectiveside edges of the longitudinal member, and these lugs f perform the function'of detents in locking slide B- from longitudinal movement. The flange f extends upwardly from the longitudinal member at the opposite end from the detent lugs f, and said flange f is substantially continuous so as to produce thechannel or chamber for the spring E, The series of tumblers operate individually in. the channels e of the casingso that thesprings E will act to impel thetumblers inone direction. With the key out of position the springs act on the tumbler for moving the latter longitudinally within the channels of the casing and to positions wherein the detent lugs f will enter one or the other of the notches d or (Z in the slotted offset of the slidable plate, whereby the detent. lugs y will preclude the slidableplate from movement transversely with respect to the casing.

Upon the insertion of key I the notched edge thereof will act upon the rounded ends of the tumblers for the purpose of repressing the tumblers against the tension of the springs E to-the position shown in Fig. 2, wherein the detent lugs f of the tumblers are brought into register with the wards 0 of the lock casing, whereby the detent lugs and the wards will occupy a central position within the longitudinal slot d of slide 13, thus permitting the slide B .to be moved'by applying pressure to finger-piece 6 as heretofore described.

The springs E are substantially housed or incased within thecha-mbers or channels of tumblers F, the springs acting individually on the tumblers for the purpose of impelling them across the transverse keyseat provided in casing C at one end portion thereof. It

will be observed that one end portion of each tumbler is curved or rounded, and said rounded ends of all the tumblers are pressed by the springs across the key-seat The springs are thus positioned in compactrelation to the tumblers, and said tumblers.

and springs are compactly positioned within the casing. The springs are retained in operative positions by, and seated against, a spring retainer G. Said retainer is shown as consisting of a single plate or. stripand a series of studs 9, thexlatter being integral with the plate. In the form of spring retainer shown in, Figi? the plate and the studs are. in one piece, being stamped or struck up from sheet metal, and the plate beingslotted so that the studs can be bent therefrom, but, obviously, other forms of spring retainers may be employed. The

coiled springs are 'slippedover,the studs g of the retainer so that the springs will be kept in position by the studs,said: springs being seated atone end against the retainer plate. The retainer serves-the twofold purpose of aflording a seat for the series of springs and for keeping all of the springs in proper, relation within the channelsof the tumblers. This retainer is fitted; in notches g whic'hareprovided in the side walls of the, casing, and the. retainer is thusrpositioned for operation in the space between lugs f and flanges f of the tumblers, whereby thetumblers are free'to move relative to the retainer G. against which the springs are seated.

The casing is provided in one end portion with a seriesof corrugations z'fadapted'to form a key-seatfor the key I." The binderplate A is providedwith a longitudinal depression J into which the key is adapted to notches d (Z of the slide B, thereby locking said slide against movement. For releasing thepintles from the filing posts it is necessary to insert the keyl into the key-seat,

whereupon the edge portion of the key acts on the tumblersto press them back against the tension of the springs, and thus thedeslidable plate B moved for key is adapted to be tentlugs f of the tumblers are brought into register with the wards c of the casing, as a result of whichthe detent lugs will occupy the longitudinal slot d in the offset of the slide, With the key in position the slide can be moved tothe left for withdrawing the pintles from thefiling posts, thus opening the binder, but in the form shown it is necessary to retain the key within the look so that theslidecan bemanually operated either to disengage the pintles from the filing postspor'to engage the pintles with said posts. In I*ig.#8, however, I'have shown :a construction of the manually op erable slide wherein the slot (Z is made wider at one end, as at (i and with this construction of slide the key can be withdrawn when the slide is moved to a position wherein the pintles are disengaged from the filing posts. It is preferable under some circumstances to employ a slide constructed as in F ig; 8 for the purpose described.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1., In a locking device, the combination of a casing provided adjacent its respective ends with a key seat and with a series of alined wards, a slidable member provided with a longitudinal slot and with transverse notches opening into said slot, said member being positioned for the wards of the casing to occupy the longitudinal slot, a plurality of tumblers positioned within the casing for movement relativeto the key seat and to the wards, said tumblers having detents adapted to register with the wards and to enter the notches of the slidable member, and springs acting individually on the tumblers for moving the same to positions across the key seat.

2. In a locking device, a casing provided with a key seat and a series of parallel channels extending in directions crosswise of said key seat, in combination with a slidable member provided with a longitudinal slot and with notches opening into said slot, said slidable member being movable across said longitudinal channels, a plurality of tumblers each slidable in one channel of said casing, and movable across the key seat, said tumblers being provided with detents adapted to enter the notches of the slidable member, and springs acting individually on said tumblers for positioning the end portions thereof across the key seat, said tumblers being normally positioned for the detents thereof to enter the notches of said slidable member.

3. In a locking device, the combination of a casing provided with a key seat, a series of alined wards, and a series of channels intersecting with said key seat and extending across the wards, a slidable member provided with a slot and with notches opening into the slot, said member being positioned for the wards to fit into said slot, a seriesof tumblers slidable within the channels of the casing and movable across the key seat, said tumblers being provided with detents adapted to registerwith the wards and to enter the notches of the slidable member, and

springs cooperating with said tumblers.

4:. In a locking device, the combination of a casing provided with a key seat, a slotted and notched member slidable within saidcasing in a path parallel-to the direction of the key seat, a plurality of channeled tumblers slidably positioned within the casing for movement relative to the key seat and the slidable member, each tumbler being provided with a fixed detent positioned to enter the slot or one of the notches of said slidable member, and impelling springs each substantially incased within one of said channeled tumblers, said slidable member being projected beyond the casing and ac:- cessible for manual manipulation independently of a key which is insertible into the key seat for actuating the tumblers.

In a locking device, the combination of a casing provided with a key seat, a slotted and notched member slidable within the casing in a path parallel to the direction of the key seat, a plurality of channeled tumblers slidable within the casing, and across the path of the key seat and the slidable member, each tumbler being provided with a rounded end presentedto a key adapted to be inserted into the key seat, each tumbler being provided, also, with a detent in 0061)- era-tive relation to the slidable member, and

springs substantially incased within the tumblers, said slidable member being projected beyond the casing and accessible for manual manipulation independently of a key which is insertible into the key seat for actuating the tumblers.

6. In a locking device, the combination with a notched slidable member, of slidable tumblers cooperating therewith, each tumbler being flanged to produce a channel for incasing a spring, springs positioned separately within the channels of said tumblers, and means against which the springs are seated to afford a yieldable resistance to the movement of the tumblers under the pressure of an appropriate key.

7. In a locking device, the combination with a casing provided with a key seat, of a notched member slidable in the casing parallel to the direction of the key seat, a plurality of slidable tumblers cooperating with said notched member, a spring retainer separate from the casing and positioned therein so as to be in fixed relation to the tumblers, and springs connected to said rcgziiner and acting individually on the tumers.

8. In a locking device, the combination of a casing provided with longitudinal channels and transverse notches, a spring retainer positioned in said notches, a plurality of slidable tumblers positioned within said channels, a series of springs connected to said retainer and cooperating with the tumblers, and a notched slidable member positioned for engagement by said tumblers.

9. In a locking device, the combination of a casing provided with longitudinal channels and with wards, a key seat extending within the casing transversely to said channels, a slidable member having an ofiset portion provided with a slot and with notches, said member being slidable ing parallel to the direction of the key seat, a plurality oftumblers slidably confined in the channels of the casing for move ment transversely to the key seat and to the slidable member, said tumblers having detents adapted to enter the notches or the slot of said slidable member, and springs acting individually on the tumblers, said slidable member being exposed beyond the casing and accessible for manual operation independentlv of the key which is insertible into the seat for actuating the tumblers.

10. In a locking device, the combination of a casing provided with a series of webs arranged to produce a series of channels, said webs being recessed and formed with wards, a slide having a slotted ofiset positioned in the recesses and receiving in the slot the wards of said casing, said slotted ofiset having notches opening into it, a plurality of tumblers slidable in the channels, said tumblers provided with detents adapted to register with the wards or to enter the notches of the slide, and springs acting on the tumblers.

11. In a locking device, a slide provided with an offset, a longitudinal slot in said ofiset, one part of the slot being wider than the other, and notches opening into the narrow part of the slot, combined with a casing provided with a key seat and with a guideway parallel to the key seat, key operated tumblers having detent lugs positioned to enter the notches of said slide, and springs acting on the tumblers, said slide being movable through the guidewayof the casing and in a path parallelto the direction of the key seat, said slide being accessible for manual operation independentlv of the key adapted to be thrust into the key seat.

12. In a locking device, a casing provided with a transverse key seat and with a recess forming a guideway, said casing having longitudinal channels extending between the key seat and the guideway, combined with a slidable notched member movable within,

the guideway in a path parallel to the direction of the key seat, tumblers slidable in the channels and'provided with detents to enter the notches of the slidable member,

and springs acting on the tumblers forimpelling them toward theikey seat, said slide being accessible exteriorly of the casing and copies of this patent may be obtained {or five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0: Patents,

. Washington, 1). O. 

